Monday, July 11, 2022

Way Out West (10/07/22) - The ride

The mercury was heading for the low 30s as I left home.  The slightly delayed train at Whitton was crowded. At Staines it emptied (presumably Thorpe Park visitors). I continued to Datchet to join Dave and Simon in a quiet Royal Farmshop. We waited for 30 minutes but nobody came. 

From the A308 roundabout we rode along the southern edge of Windsor. Just after the aging "Brenda and Keith" in Fifield I tossed in a minor surprise by switching to the Drift Road. Thus was Waltham St Lawrence reached from the south. At the A4 in Hare Hatch we ran into a sportive (or at least signs of). Wargrave was skirted before we started the only climb of the day so Warren Row was reached from the northwest.

The Velolife cafe was busy and hot  whereever one sat.  Its menu is brief: toasties and/or cakes which suited us. As temperatures rose visitor numbers dwindled; we were amongst the last to leave well before two. 

We now had a tailwind. I pointed out the onetime RSG6 as we descended to Knowl Hill where  NCN4 was rejoined close to The Royal Oak. We left it as it entered the Maidenhead suburbs. After Bray the cycleway beside the widened M4 Thames Bridge is still unfinished  two years after opening! Dorney and Eton came next.

The wait at Datchet station was under five minutes which proved too tempting for Dave who joined me to Ashford (Surrey). His excuse: an 80 mile ride the previous day to Hastings. I was for a final surprise at Whitton - the next train was for Kingston! New to me so I took it.

As described 32 miles (or 66 miles if ridden from home).

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